Preparation
by EowynAhsokaLover
Summary: Dick, Kaldur, Wally, and Artemis have been planning for the past several months. Soon Kaldur must go undercover as a villain.


**A/N: **This was written for a prompt on tumblr. This is about the day Dick, Kaldur, Wally, and Artemis decide its time for Kaldur to go undercover. Please enjoy

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Artemis watched as Wally dropped into the chair across from her. As usual, he was the last one to the private meetings they had with Kaldur and Dick, but he looked even more tired than usual. She was surprised; he had snuck into her Gotham bedroom enough times for her to know he was sleeping well.

Dick, seeing that the final member of their meetings was here, sat up from his own slumber. He was the only one in uniform, only recently returning from a mission in the Himalayas. She was unsure whether she would ever get used his new costume, which he had first donned only a couple months ago.

Kaldur was dressed all in black, just like he had been since Tula's death a month ago. The four heroes had started their meetings at the beginning of the summer, but her death and the information discovered shortly served as the true catalyst for their plan.

"So…" Dick's word hung heavy in the air, pressure indicating an oncoming headache.

"So…what?" Wally raised his eyebrows and tensed his shoulders churlishly.

"Are you okay, Wally?" Artemis asked.

He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I…I guess I'm just hungry. I haven't eaten enough today." He looked at Dick. "Do you have any food?" Today's meeting was at Dick's New York penthouse apartment, one of the many properties Bruce Wayne owned so his soldiers would have a place to stay when doing long term assignments in different cities.

Dick nodded and stood up, disappearing into another room. No one spoke until he got back and placed a bowl of fruit on a coffee table. Wally immediately reached for it. Artemis asked "Dick, why have you called us here?"

"Yeah," Wally said, "I thought we were trying not to meet on the weekends."

Dick ran his fingers through his hair before perching on one of the arms of his chair. "I know, but," he looked at Kaldur, "I think we need to launch our plan now."

Wally jumped out of his seat. "Why! Why on earth—"

"I have been thinking the same thing, Dick," Kaldur interrupted. "If we do not act soon, then my resignation and betrayal will seem less natural."

Dick nodded and turned to Wally. "Look, Wally, just because we're starting Kaldur's part of the plan doesn't mean that Artemis will have to do hers any time soon. Or even at all."

"Don't joke Dick. You know as well as I that Artemis will eventually have to go rogue for your mission to work."

Artemis interjected, "Wally, I can take care of myself."

"I know!" Wally breathed deeply, trying to calm himself down. "I know, but that doesn't stop me from worrying. Besides, I'm worried for Kaldur too, and," he looked around the room, his eyes landing on the fruit bowl. He took out a pomegranate. "Look, one of the myths they always teach you at school is the one about Persephone, right?" He didn't wait for the group's confirmation before continuing, "In this myth, she gets kidnapped to the underworld by Hades. She is determined to not stay there, and eventually she does get rescued."

"However, she eats four pomegranate seeds before she leaves, and because of that, she has to stay in the underworld. What if that happens to one or to both of you?" He stared at Kaldur and then Artemis. Finally he turned to Dick. "Also, I wanted to tell you that I'm out."

Dick's eyes widened with surprise. "Out?"

"Of the hero business." Artemis stared at Wally. Wally had asked her once or twice what she would think of retiring from the hero business, but she had never thought he was serious. "I'm hanging up my uniform." He started walking out of the room. "And by the way, Artemis may be joining me too."

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**A/N: **While this currently stands on its own, I'm thinking I may add other scenes of the characters about this time, dealing with the plan, Tula's death, retirement, etc. So please review and tell me what you think. Hopefully my continuity isn't too screwy.


End file.
